Anwar Kamal Pasha, one of the founding pillars of Lollywood, was the mastermind behind some of the most unforgettable dialogues that analysed societal hypocrisy with razor-sharp precision.

He penned the iconic dialogue: “Chori mera paisha hai aur namaz farz [Thievery is my profession, and prayer is my obligation]” from the film Sarfarosh (1956), as well as the profound remark that captured the disillusionment of Pakistan’s educated class: “Parrhay likhon ki ehmiyat uss mulk mein hoti hai jahaan parrhay likhay loag rehtay hain [The value of educated people is only recognised in a country where educated people reside]” from Qaatil (1955).

As a writer, director and producer, Pasha’s films explored themes of poverty, love, social hierarchy, moral decay and mortality. A true son of the soil, he never worked in India, yet held his ground firmly, standing tall among his contemporaries.

Born on February 23, 1925 in Lahore, Pasha graduated from Forman’s Christian College and received a double Masters degree from Punjab University. A former Excise and Taxation Department officer, he was the son of Hakim Ahmed Shuja, a renowned playwright, intellectual and poet. Hakim Ahmed Shuja was a close associate and friend of Agha Hashar Kashmiri, often regarded as the final luminary of Urdu theatre.

Amidst the frenzy of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the birth centenary of writer, director and producer Anwar Kamal Pasha was all but forgotten. It could have served as a chance to celebrate the legacy and contributions of an iconic figure whose groundbreaking work was instrumental in shaping Lollywood’s golden era

Renowned producer and director Sohrab Modi entrusted Shuja with writing dialogues for many of his films. From Karawan-i-Hayat (1935), to Waaris (1954), he wrote for Sohrab Modi, Nitin Bose and many other producers in India. The essence of Agha Hashar Kashmiri’s style was palpable in these works, validating Hashar’s prediction that Shuja would be his rightful successor.

After Partition, Shuja revived his abandoned script, Shafaq, and asked Luqman, a director from the pre-Partition era, to helm the project while his son Anwar Kamal Pasha stayed on the sidelines to learn filmmaking. Renamed as Shahida (1949), the movie celebrated a silver jubilee in Delhi and Lucknow as well, and its dialogue “Allah meri izzat tere haath mein hai [God, my honour is in your hands]” was penned by Pasha and delivered by Shamim, whom he later married.

The rise of Pasha (1950-1962)

Anwar Kamal Pasha’s entry into film direction began with Do Aansoo (1950). After its success, he turned producer with Ghabroo (1950), a Punjabi film. Urdu films such as Gumnaam, Ghulam, Qaatil and Intiqam followed, with more powerful dialogues, intense performances, as well as beautiful songs, such as ‘Payal mein geet hain chumm chumm ke’, ‘Hum bhi tu parray hain raahon mein’ and ‘O maina, na jaanay kya hogaya.’

He went on to make films such as Sarfarosh (1956) — the Lollywood debut of the Lara Lappa girl Meena Shorey — with songs such as ‘Teri ulfat mein sanam’ and ‘Mera nishana dekhe zamana.’ And who can forget the super-hit Punjabi film Dullah Bhatti (1956), where Anwar Kamal Pasha was roped in to supervise the proceedings.

He even brought together musicians Rasheed Attre and Master Inayat Hussain to compose for Anarkali (1958), where Madam Noor Jehan played the title role and Himalayawala and Sudhir portrayed the roles of Mughal emperor Akbar and Prince Salim, respectively.

Anwar Kamal Pasha was known for his commitment to introducing new talent to the film industry. He launched Sabiha Khanum as a lead and Asif Jah as a comedian in Do Aansoo (1950), and introduced Nayyar Sultana, Akmal, Aslam Pervaiz, actor-director Diljeet Mirza and Musarrat Nazir in Qaatil (1955). Malika-i-Jazbat Bahar in Chann Mahi (1957) and Rani in Mehboob (1962) were also introduced by Pasha.

“It was a very different industry back then,” recalls veteran actress Bahar Begum. “We were fined a rupee if we conversed in Urdu. English was the language with which you communicated, and a hero had to behave as such. For someone who had never even done a play in school, I was encouraged a lot by Pasha sahib and Aslam Pervaiz, the hero of the film,” she adds.

In music, Pasha introduced talented musicians such as Master Inayat Hussain and Master Abdullah, singers Saleem Raza and Kousar Parveen, and lyricist Hazin Qadri. His circle of associates who later became successful directors included M.S. Dar, Khalil Qaisar, S. Suleman, Hassan Tariq, Asif Jah, Jaffar Malik, M. Akram, Agha Hussaini and Altaf Hussain. No other individual in the industry managed to nurture as many protégés as he did.

Professor Omer Salim Khan, a nephew of renowned television producer and director Yawar Hayat and grandson of Anwar Kamal Pasha, told this scribe how his uncle was lost to TV.

“Initially, his nephew and later his son-in-law, Yawar, originally aspired to become a film director like his uncle [Pasha], but he eventually chose to go towards the new medium of television in 1964-65. Even after that, he would at times consult him about some new TV play, ask his opinion and get his feedback,” Omer Salim says.

Yawar’s father was married to Anwar Kamal Pasha’s sister and, following his uncle, the grandson of Sardar Sikandar Hayat also graduated from Forman Christian College. If one watches the plays directed by Yawar closely, one can find Anwar Kamal Pasha’s touch in them.

Pasha’s scripts themselves bore a distinct touch of Agha Hashar with their poetic dialogues and intellectually rich banter — elements rarely witnessed today. He either penned the dialogues himself or entrusted the task to his father, Hakim Ahmad Shuja. They both had command over Urdu, English and Punjabi. However, Pasha had an exceptional understanding of cinema and would skilfully rephrase dialogues to elicit applause from the audience.

At times, Pasha could appear arrogant or even rude. Prof Omer Salim recalls: “Pasha could not bear hypocrisy or narrow-minded attitudes. This intellectual pride was viewed as arrogance and overconfidence.

“Around 1964-65, he suffered a financial setback and, in 1969, the death of his father. In 1971, he was deeply affected by the loss of East Pakistan and didn’t recognise Pakistan anymore after that time!”

With not many Urdu films being produced in Gen Ziaul Haq’s era, Pasha produced Punjabi films Wehshi Gujjar (1979) and Sher Khan (1981), the last blockbusters from him. Like his father, he passed on the baton to his son, writer Muhammad Kamal Pasha, who penned Wehshi Gujjar. It’s ironic that the movie became a vehicle to showcase Sultan Rahi, who became the prototype of the later typical blood-thirsty Punjabi action hero.

Anwar Kamal Pasha died in Lahore on October 13, 1987 while the legendary Indian actor/singer Kishore Kumar breathed his last in Mumbai (then Bombay) the same day, as the Pakistan cricket team defeated England in a thrilling encounter of the World Cup match at Rawalpindi. Pasha’s death slipped into the background while these two news items dominated the media.

Similarly, while the centenary of the births of renowned singer Muhammad Rafi, acclaimed actor/filmmaker Raj Kapoor and celebrated music director Nisar Bazmi were celebrated just a few weeks earlier, Anwar Kamal Pasha’s 100th birth anniversary, on February 23, coincided with the India-Pakistan encounter of the ICC Champions Trophy.

Anwar Kamal Pasha is still awaiting a Presidential Award, a recognition long overdue.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 9th, 2025